1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to in-line skates, more specifically to a shock absorber system for in-line skates including roller and blade supported skates, which controls roll, pitch, yaw, and provides shock energy storage and recovery.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art is replete with patents describing skate shock absorber systems. U.S. Pat. No. 332,277 patented Dec. 15, 1885 by T. Mulvin describes a rubber block between the skate heel support platform and the axle frame for the wheels. A second rubber block is clamped to the heel platform to compress the first block in place which in elastic compression supports the heel and imparts a free tilting or oscillating motion between the wheel""s axes and the platform. U.S. Pat. No. 334,281 patented Jan. 12, 1886 by Punches, describes a foot support platform mounted on a front wheeled truck by a first vertical screw through a first rubber doughnut shock absorber spacer between the platform and the truck.
The platform is also mounted on a rear wheeled truck by a second vertical screw through a second rubber doughnut shock absorber spacer between the platform heel area and the rear truck.
The first truck and the second truck each can pivot on the screws, and are connected together by a flat spring in the vertical plane, so that lateral movement of the center of the spring causes the front and back trucks to pivot on the screws. The doughnuts permit the platform to rock or lean, that is, to roll on the longitudinal axis when the rider leans into a turn, and to pitch on a horizontal central axis. A yoke attached to the platform and to the flat vertical spring deflects the spring laterally at the middle of the spring when the platform rolls on the longitudinal axis of the skate. The deflected spring pivots the trucks so that the skate yaws from the longitudinal axis of the skate on a vertical axis of the skate as wheels travel an arc that complements the lean.
U.S. Pat. No. 345,781 patented Jul. 20, 1886 by J. G. Havens describes a foot support platform pivotally mounted by a pair of spring-loaded vertical shafts on the wheel bearing frame so that when the skate is describing a curve, the platform can be made to roll, or be thrown out of level from the skate wheel axes to one side or the other, as the curve of skate travel is to the right or left.
U.S. Pat. No. 865,441 patented Sep. 10, 1907 by G. S. Slocum, describes a spring foot plate mounted on forward and rear saddles each mounting a roller carrying truck that turns when pressure is applied to either side of the foot plate causing the rollers to run on a curve toward that side upon which the pressure is brought.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,797,926 patented Jul. 2, 1957 by C. E. Swensson describes a foot support platform rockably mounted on the wheel bearing frame by a ball and socket on a rubber shock absorber.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,405,156 patented Apr. 11, 1995 by M. Gonella, describes a foot support platform mounted on front and rear wheeled trucks of an in-line wheel skate by springs at the distal first ends of the trucks, the second ends of the trucks being independently pivotally attached to the bottom of the platform at the middle of the platform so that the platform is free to pitch about a generally central horizontal transverse axis of the skate. The degree of pitch is controlled by rubber cushioned stops between the platform and each truck which are slidably mounted on the platform for sliding horizontally lengthwise toward and away from the pivotal mounting of the second ends of the trucks.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,413 patented Apr. 2, 1996 by P. Belogour, describes an in-line wheel skate foot support platform pivotally mounted at the toe end of the platform on a first end of the wheel truck of the skate by an axis that is transverse to the longitudinal axis of the skate. The heel end of the platform is mounted on the truck by a vertical spring loaded shock absorber that is pivotally attached to the second end of the truck so that the platform can pitch on the toe end pivotal axis as the heel oscillates.
It is one object of the invention to provide an in-line skate in which the platform adapted for attachment of the skate to the foot is protected from wheel vibration.
It is another object of the invention to provide an in-line skate which has energy recovery shock absorber means connecting the platform to the wheels.
It is another object of the invention to provide an in-line skate which has energy recovery shock absorber means connecting the platform to the wheels for resilient extension of the platform from the axis of the wheels.
It is another object of the invention to provide an in-line skate having a plurality of in-line wheels, which has shock absorber means connecting the platform to the in-line wheels for resilient extension of the platform from the axis of the wheels wherein the platform does not roll, or yaw from the axes and plane of rotation of the wheels.
Other objects and advantages will be apparent to one reading the ensuing description of the invention.
An in-line skate includes a platform adapted for attachment of the skate to a foot, a frame, a plurality of in-line wheels mounted on the frame, a first shock element mounted on the frame and on the platform, a second shock element mounted on the frame and on the platform spaced from the first shock element, the shock elements being configured so that the platform is moved in a Z direction by each shock element.
Preferably the platform is configured to change pitch between the first shock element and the second shock element.
In another arrangement the platform is flexible in pitch, and stiffened against yaw and roll from a plane parallel to the plane of rotation of the plurality of wheels.
In another arrangement the platform is flexible in pitch, and is rigid against yaw and roll from a plane parallel to the plane of rotation of the plurality of wheels.
Preferably the shock elements at their mountings to the platform are prevented from moving in an X or Y direction from each other, from moving in a Y direction from a plane parallel to the plane of rotation of the plurality of in-line wheels, and from moving in the X direction from a line parallel to the axis of rotation of one of the wheels of the plurality of in-line wheels.
In another arrangement the shock elements at their mountings to the frame are prevented from moving in an X or Y direction from each other, from moving in a Y direction from a plane parallel to the plane of rotation of the plurality of in-line wheels, and from moving in the X direction from a line parallel to the axis of rotation of one of the wheels of the plurality of in-line wheels.
In another arrangement according to the invention an in-line skate includes a platform adapted for attachment of the skate to a foot, a frame, a plurality of in-line wheels mounted on the frame, having a ground contact line, a pair of shock elements mounted spaced apart on the frame and mounted on the platform, so that if the wheels are held fixed to the ground, the shock elements are configured so that the platform moves in a vertical Z direction at each shock element and each shock element is prevented from moving in a lateral Y direction and in a toe to heel X direction from each other.
Preferably each shock element is prevented from moving in a lateral Y direction from a plane parallel to the plane of rotation of the plurality of in-line wheels, and from moving in the toe to heel X direction measured from a line parallel to the axis of rotation of one of the wheels of the plurality of in-line wheels.
In another arrangement an in-line skate includes a frame, a plurality of in-line wheels mounted on the frame, having a ground contact line, a first shock element mounted on the frame, comprising first means for attaching the first shock element to a platform adapted for attachment of the skate to a foot, a second shock element mounted on the frame, comprising second means for attaching the second shock element to the platform, the first shock element and the second shock element being configured so that the first and the second means for attaching move in a Z direction, are prevented from moving in a Y direction from a plane parallel to the plane of rotation of the plurality of in-line wheels, and from moving in a X direction from a line parallel to the axis of rotation of one of the wheels of the plurality of in-line wheels.